General Motors

Those figures do not prove that the rich are in a higher tax bracket.

Define "rich". Cost of living varies from area to area. What may seem rich to some people to others it's middle class. Where I live it has been shown that you need to clear at least 65K to just to keep your head above water, local taxes seem to be the the big factor here.

I think this is the NTU website Timaaay is referencing. http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=6

GM has been selling crap for 20 years. I worked in a GM dealership from the late 70s to 1985, switched to Nissan. The cars they were forcing us to sell were subpar to all others. We had headliners in caddies that fell down for no reason at about 12k miles. Well there was a reason, they switched to cheaper glue. The recalls and warranty work was overwhelming and they did not pay the shop near enough (using their MIC formula) to fix the cars. Paint that fell of, bumpers that cracked, plastic chrome that peeled, and this was on the top of the line cars. Most of our customers never bought anther GM, after the late 70s crap came out. Most went across the street and bought those “damn imports” Those customers never came back. What killed most of our business was resale or trade in value. As an example: you bought a 1984 Delta 88 loaded for 16k or a Nissan loaded for 12k. 3 years and about 36k miles later you go to trade in the Olds, it booked at 4k and you could actually get $2800. The Nissan booked at 10k and you could easily get 8 k. So with the Nissan you had a decent down for the new car, and you only got hit with 33% depreciation. With the Olds you were screwed at 82.5% depreciation. This is an actual example, I saw the numbers and the faces on the customers. GM got away with this for way to long because they had a few lines, Pickups and Heavy’s that supported them, and customer loyalty that they abused. That’s over now. Screw them, they screwed us, its time for them to pass.
Rick

I'm afraid GM is going down the tube. I thought Chrysler would be the first of the big three to fold, but it now appears GM will be first. Ford and Toyota will reap great benefits if GM does fold.

I love the old cars too, Gary. I restored a 1972 Grand Prix SJ about ten years ago. I love that car and drive it on nice days. The weather here in PA keeps me from putting it on the road in winter, but spring is just around the corner.
I also have a 1982 Trans Am that is completely custom. It took me nearly five years to finish it. I hardly ever drive it except to a local show or a trip around town when my kids pester me enough to take them for a ride. I stuck a SB 400 (totally worked), TH 350 trans, and 373 gears in it. With over 450 HP on motor alone, it has the potential to ruin underwear.

You should look at Consumers Reports,

consistent in reporting GM is very poor in quality for years. Too many in GM have Golden Parachutes so they could care less, even the Unions are to blame, by demanding too many perks and not enough integrity.

Ford on the other-hand is finding itself in a quality is important to compete.

My company car is a 06 impalla. I have put 60k on it and the only problem I had was blowing a return line on the power steering. That happened at 28 below zero on start up. I have plenty of power and get 28 to 32 with regular gas and 23 to 28 on E-85. The company I work for has 8 of these 06 to 08 and has not had any problems. So far I feel it has been a nice car, smooth ride etc.
I suppose they put some time and quality into the design as the Impalla has been the family car for years

60k is a good start. I have a 69 firebird with 180k it has had way to many problems, it was the last GM I bought as the quality was already leaving GM and went down fast after that. My Honda has 289,300. never been in a shop, other than a tire store, for brakes and tires. Nothing has ever failed on this vehicle, as it should be.

Rick

As an auto tech for 30 years, I can tell you first hand of the crap GM has been building. Trucks have been OK, but cars... well, lets say that if you have a late model V6 GM car and if you haven't had to replace the intake gasket on it, sooner or later you will. Terrible design, and they have been building them that way for a number of years.